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From: Mika.Pyyhkala@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Mika Pyyhkala)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: hot topic
Message-ID: <16129@handicap.news>
Date: 18 Jun 91 16:09:27 GMT
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Index Number: 16129

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hello David,
This is a good topic to start discussing in the echo
again, we've touched on it a bit before too.
Anyway, up until I was about 16 or 17 years old, (I am now 18)
I would accept the free rides on our public transportation systems.
However, at that point, I felt  that the rides were unjustified.
I feel that since sighted people have to pay for their transportation
that blind people, or anyone else for that matter, also should
have to pay.  Also, I agree that any discounts
should be bassed on income.
Also, I feel that by riding the subway or whatever for free, you are
sending a political statement to the people around you that
reenforces stereotypical roles believed to be played by blind
people.
If we want equality, we should also accept the responsibility it
intails.
I too have had difficulty in paying the faire, the same
type you've had.
One subway driver told me that it was against the law for
him to charge me, and I told him that I wanted to pay, and
he said that if you want to be that way fine.
Another bus driver told me that I should make a donation to
a church instead of paying for the bus.
In response to the curosity of the MBTA employees,
this week in fact, I am just completing a one-page flyer
on why I pay for my public transportation.  I have to
make a few minor corrections, and print it and copy it.  So, when
somebody asks, I can just give them one.
I can also post in the echo when I get it ready, which hopefully
will be in the next few days.
Another question to ponder is that if one were absolutely
poor, and living in the street for instance, and blind, if
we would take the free ride.  If we did, we would compromise
our pricniples, if we did not, we might not be
able to get off the street, or go anywhere.  This may also relate a bit
to the topic someone brought up about whether a blind
person would rather be mugged, or victimized in nother
way by a criminal, instead of being treated differently because
of blindndess.
-Mika

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